Gnaphalium calviceps Fernald
silky cudweed
Annual, 5-15-(30) cm tall, usually much-branched from base and along stems; stems 1-many, ascending to erect. Basal lvs mostly 0 at flowering, sometimes present and withered. Lower cauline lvs apetiolate, moderately to densely silky hairy on both surfaces, concolorous, folded upwards or plane, linear to oblanceolate, obtuse, mucronate, undulate, 10-30 × 2-4 mm; upper cauline lvs similar but somewhat smaller, more often folded, usually straight, sometimes falcate. Capitula in small terminal and axillary clusters; clusters forming paniculate infls or spikes at ends of main branches. Involucral bracts oblong, apiculate, 3-3.5 mm long; stereome green, sometimes flushed purple toward apex; lamina pale brown, usually with a darker band toward base, rarely flushed reddish purple; gap and margins usually clear, sometimes with purplish markings; outer bracts glabrous or sparsely hairy at base. Achenes minutely papillate, c. 0.5 mm long.
N.: scattered localities in Northland, Auckland City, Coromandel, Wellington Province; S.: lowland Marlborough, Christchurch.
U.S.A. to E. South America 1968
Waste places, especially stony sites, pasture, lawns.
FL Aug-May.
G. calviceps is usually distinguished by the much-branched habit and diffuse, pale infls. In some N. American Floras it is relegated to synonomy under a broad concept of G. purpureum.
